1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for obtaining a power consumption amount using information obtained from an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in order to reduce an emission amount of greenhouse effect gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), reducing the power consumption amount in the operation of a printer or a multifunction peripheral, or any other image forming apparatuses has been demanded. Therefore, it is important to enable a user to recognize (what is called “visualization”) the power consumption amount in the operation of the image forming apparatus.
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-335026, a technique for measuring an integral power and an accumulated time in each operation state, using a power meter mounted on the image forming apparatus, and printing them as a report is discussed. With the technique, it becomes possible to figure out the power consumption amount by mounting the power meter on the image forming apparatus.
In the apparatus discussed in the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-335026, the power consumption can be figured out based on information from the power meter. However, when the image forming apparatus goes into a power-off or a power-saving mode, the power meter may not be operated, and accordingly the power consumption may not be measured. Depending on the image forming apparatus, when going into the power-saving mode, control may be performed not to operate the power meter in order to save the power consumption. Further, depending on a method for power supply to an option device, the power consumption measured by the power meter may need to be corrected.